Method and apparatus for delivering sheet material



Oct. 29, 1957 J. E. TOWNSEND ETA!- 2,311,196

' METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING SHEET MATERIAL Filed March 15, 1952 A A s sheets-sheet 1 BY Zesier iii/[yam Oct. 29, 1957 J. E. TOWNSEND ETA!- ,811,196

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING SHEET MATERIAL Filed March 15, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 a W T \s g Q INVENTORS 1 Q I 3 w v fa/m ,5 7511/1150! By [easier iiZ/fqers W S, Mam

Oct. 2 9, 1957 J. E. TOWNSEND ETAL 2,811,196

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING SHEET MATERIAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 15, 1952 O n mu a 9 O INVENTORS .fa/iu 7 Yumsmd y U51?! 7!. Myers ark/CC W [I 77 ORA/E Y Oct. 29, 1957 J. E. TOWNSEND ETAL 2,8

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING SHEET MATERIAL Filed March 15, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 100 WWW/T6 smrc/mmmm/vz M0701? STfl/FTH? 138 l/MflT swam/ 114 IMMEDl/l/"E PICK-UP TIME DEL/IYDROP aur OPENS Sl /7Z7! IJFTER TIME DEL/l Y WHEN ENE R6 25 D (mum/n75 a as: WHEN .DEENERG/ZED) um/175 P/c/fl/P Ii/VD TIME 125m DROP our IN V EN TORS 101m [I Townsend Zesler Wily (rs p TTDRNEY Oct. 29, 1957 J. E. TOWNSEND EI'AL 2,811,196

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING sHEET MATERIAL Filed March 15, 1952 5 Sheets-S11 91. 5

(INVEN TORS .fa/m 1i. 7210/07/10 BY [KS/(r i A/qzrs W ,5. @MAJ United States Patent METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING SHEET MATERIAL John Ernest Townsend, Canton, and Lester William Myers, Massillon, Ohio, assiguors to Republic Steel Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 15, 1952, Serial No. 276,888

9 Claims. (Cl. 154-30 Long sheets or strips of thin material, such as paper or the like, are not easily handled because they are apt to buckle or bend, particularly when efforts are made to advance or locate such a sheet or web otherwise than by pulling it across a flat supporting surface. These problems are especially acute when it is desired to feed out a long strip of such material from a supply roll. A11 important instance of an operation of the type here contemplated, is in feeding large lengths of paper to constitute separator sheets in the stacking of sheet metal or equivalent articles.

For example, in the production of sheets of stainless steel or other metal, having a polished or specially finished surface which should not be scratched or marred, it is desirable to lay a sheet of separator paper upon each of the metal sheets while the latter are being stacked. The resulting pile then has paper interleaved between the metal faces, for the desired protection. The insertion of the paper, however, has been a laborious and time-consuming operation, not only because of the large size of the paper Sheets (for example, up to two or three feet or more in width and ranging in length to eight or ten feet or so) but also because the necessary handling of the metal sheets in the stacking operation would be interfered with by any mechanical arrangement for pulling and guiding a paper strip across the stack.

It is, therefore, an important object of this invention to overcome these difficulties of both general and specific nature, and to provide apparatus and procedure whereby long strips or sheets of paper or similar thin material may be fed out by feed rolls from one end only of the material, without difficulty from buckling, crumpling, tearing, or the like. A specific object is to afford novel and effective apparatus which will appropriately handle long paper strip so as to push it out endwise, e. g. from a supply roll, onto a receiving surface, without need for any device to engage or pull the leading edge of the strip.

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods and apparatus for feeding out strips of paper-thin material to a predetermined length, and cutting them off.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus which will automatically feed out wide strips of paper-thin material, cut them to a predetermined length, and continuously repeat such operation as many times as desired.

A still further object is to provide novel control means, advantageously embodied in an electric circuit for controlling the desired sequence of operations involved in using apparatus, such as that disclosed herein, for feeding out strips of paper-thin material.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of new methods and means for automatically feeding out strips or sheets of paper-thin material to act as protective layers between sheets of heavier material, e. g. highly polished steel. It is further contemplated that such operation may be incorporated with a stacking of the sheets of material to be protected.

To these and other ends, the novel features and princi- 2,811,195 Patented Oct. 2%, 1957 ples of the invention will be most readily explained in connection with the following description and accompanying illustration, by way of example, of one satisfactory form of the new paper feeding apparatus.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of the paper feed-out machine and shear;

Fig. 2 is a side view chiefly in vertical section taken along the line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation view showing the shear blades and operating mechanism therefor;

Pig. 4 is a schematic view in perspective showing the material being fed via the feed rolls through the processing rolls and the shear. Also included in this figure is a showing of the limit switch mechanism and a gear ratio changing device;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view showing the action of the paper at the gathering roll, taken along the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the first creasing roll showing the action of said roll on the paper, taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail view showing the action of the final creasing roll on the paper, taken along the line 77 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a stack of thick material sheets alternating with layers of paper supplied by the machine;

Fig. 9 is a wiring diagram of an electrical circuit controlling the automatic operation of the apparatus; and

Fig. 10 is a side view on a reduced scale, of the driving gear train.

The specific embodiment of the device which is illustrated in the various figures will be described with refer ence to the use of paper as the very thin material being fed out. It will be appreciated, as stated above, that with very thin material of the character and of the order of thickness of paper, buckling, bending and crumpling easily occur. Such buckling is especially troublesome where it is attempted to feed out large strips of such material of any appreciable length relative to the width of strip being fed out; the difliculty is likewise increased when it is sought to deliver or project the paper strip at a relatively high speed of travel. For interleaving between polished stainless steel sheets or the like, the paper must not only be soft, highly purified and entirely free from grit, specks or similar foreign matter, but is also usually very thin and pliant, indeed tissue-like, so that it is exceptionally hard to handle. It will become apparent that the device of this invention in some cases may be used to feed materials other than paper, especiaily materials having physical properties similar to paper, and in such instances, or indeed sometimes in the case of paper, the configuration of the grooves or crimps which the apparatus is adapted to make in the material (in the manner and for the purpose described below) may be changed suitably as desired.

Briefly, the illustrated machine embodying the invention consists (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) of feed rolls (25, 26), gathering rolls (32, 33), crimping rolls (34 to 37 inclusive), and a shear (40). By the operation of these instrumentalities (as will be explained in detail) not only is paper advanced from a supply roll and cut off in the desired long lengths, but in accordance with the invention,

it is continuously provided with a longitudinal ribbed or crimped structure which makes possible the desired endwise feeding without buckling or other damage. That is to say, it has now been discovered that by continuously imparting such a structure to the paper, preferably in the form of a plurality of parallel ribs or channels running lengthwise of the sheet and spaced across it, the

paper is sulficiently reinforced or stiffened as to permit its being pushed out endwise to a relatively great length, for example, over and onto the uppermost one of a stack of metal sheets that are to be interleaved with paper as they are piled up. it has further been found, as will become apparent below, that despite the use of relatively thin and pliable paper, longitudinal ribs or crimps may be continuously and rapidly embodied in it, with the apparatus herein described, and in a sufficient manner for the purpose of self-support against crumpling or buckling. Moreover, the resulting configuration of the paper sheet, e. g. with ribs of the character illustrated in the drawings, is not found to interfere with the desired interleaving operation; indeed, the sheet may tend to flatten somewhat as soon as it is deposited, and when prepared in the preferred manner shown, fiattens completely and smoothly under the weight of a metal sheet placed over it. When the paper used is of the exceptionally soft and pliant variety mentioned above and although even then the V-shaped creases may be considered permanent for the desired 1 stiffening purpose in projecting the strip onto the stack, the creases may almost completely disappear of their own accord while the severed piece is settling and momentarily awaiting the deposit of the next metal sheet.

To accomplish the feeding and crimping operations with the apparatus shown, paper from the supply roll is fed by the feed rolls to the gathering rolls where it is gathered in, reducing its width to gain sufficient paper in the form of preliminary ribs, for forming the desired creased ribs or crimps. sets of crimping rolls specially designed to cooperate, in succession, for setting in the creases or crimps, and from the crimping rolls the paper is ejected (in the desired, relatively self-supporting or stiffened manner) on through the shear which is operable to cut of the ejected strip to any desired length. In this manner, the apparatus may be used to feed out and insert layers of paper as separatorprotectors, for example, in a stack of highly polished sheets of steel.

An illustration of a method of inserting paper between layers of any material, such as sheets of steel, is had in Fig. 8. As here shown, sheets of paper 23 are being fed out from the machine (not seen in this illustration) in the direction of the arrow which is parallel to the longitudinal ribs or crimps made by the machine. Specifically, V-shaped crimps 95 are formed in the sheet of paper as it is being fed out across the top of a sheet of steel or whatever material is being stacked. As indicated above, these crimps or creased ribs give sufiicient stiffness so that the paper may be rapidly fed out full length from the feed-out or trailing end only, and then cut oif to length. In this way, sheets of paper may be supplied as rapidly as sheets of steel, and no delay will be caused in piling up a stack of steel sheets by reason of the operation of inserting the paper protector layers. In the illustration, sheets of steel as are being introduced from one side; it is obvious that they may be introduced from any position as convenient.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there is a supply roll of paper 16, which is to be crimped and fed out for use. A rod 17 supports the roll 16 and also carries means to apply friction to the roll for damping effect, such that little or no overrun will occur as the paper is drawn off by the machine. Such friction means may consist of springs and collars 19 for applying friction to a core 29, upon which the paper is rolled. Collars 19 are secured in position against the spring tensions by means of set screws 27. in order to prevent the rod 17 from rolling, it is supported at one end by a through bolt 28 which also serves as a pivot about which to raise the rod 17 in order to change rolls of paper. The rod 17 is supported on the machine by means of arms 21 which have U-shaped members 22 at the extremity of these arms.

The paper, indicated by the reference character 23 is fed ofif the roll 16 through a guide 24 and between feed Then it is passed through two rolls 25 and 26. To apply further frictional effect for preventing overrun, there is a roll of canvas or a canvascovered weighted roller, or the like, 30, which is suspended by an extended portion 30a of its canvas covering that is in turn fastened by means of a metal strip 31 bolted to the top of guide 24 as indicated. The paper proceeds from the feed rolls Z5 and 26 through a considerable space to the first set of processing rolls, which are the gathering rolls 32 and 33. Here the width of the paper strip is reduced the required amount to gain suificient paper for a crimping process to follow. This gathering action is accomplished by means of spaced ridges 29 on the upper gathering roll 32, which ridges roll in correspondingly spaced grooves 38 in lower gathering roll 33. For further illustration of the structure and function of these parts, see Figs. 4 and 5.

The paper is next fed through a first pair of crimping rolls 34 and 35 where a preliminary crimp is applied at each ridge 39 which rolls in its groove 47. These ridges and grooves (39 and 47) are spaced the same distance apart (center to center) as are the ridges and grooves on the gathering rolls which preceded these crimping rolls in the progress of the paper through the machine. Also, the ridges and grooves of the crimping rolls are lined up with those of the gathering rolls, i. e. in the direction of travel of the paper. The action at the first crimping rolls (34 and 35) consists of forming the paper into preliminary V-shaped crimps preparatory to a final creasing of the paper to make the ribs or crimps stay. A further illustration of this action may be had by reference to Fig. 6. Although there is no intentional stretching of the paper in any of these operations and although the present method and apparatus are especially designed for material of the character of paper, it may be noted, in passing, that they are usefully applicable, when desired, to materials that are or can be stretched.

The final forming operation is applied at rolls 36 and 37 (through which the strip next passes) where the action is to press in the crimps under pressure. This step positively creases the paper and hence gives the crimps a lasting quality, e. g. a sufiiciently permanent deformation of the paper, which produces the desired stiffness or reinforcement in the sheet. At these final rolls 36 and 37, there are ridges 48 and grooves 49 respectively, which are lined up with the ridges and grooves of the preceding crimping rolls 34, 35, and also with the ridges and grooves of gathering rolls 32, 33. In order to gain the creases desired, the grooves 49 exactly match the shape of their corresponding ridges 48. Further illustration of this creasing action by the fully conforming rolls 36, 37, may be had by referring to Fig. 7. Note that, as shown in Fig. 7, the ridges 48 are slightly higher than the depth of the grooves 49, so that the localities of the paper which are to be crimped are tightly seized between the ridges 48 and the grooves 49, while the intervening localities of the paper, which lie between the cylindrical portions of the rolls 36, 37 are not closely confined between the rolls. On the contrary, these intervening localities of the paper pass between sections of the rolls having substantial clearance which permit local movements of the paper either laterally of the sheet or in a direction perpendicular to the general plane of the sheet. Such movements may be required to accommodate smoothly the change of form of the sheet from the relatively broad, open grooves of i Fig. 6 to the narrower, sharp-edged grooves of Fig. 7.

After the paper leaves these final crimping rolls 36 and 37, it is fed out between the blades of a shear generally indicated by 40, the sheet being now sufficiently reinforced to be self-supporting as it is pushed, even across some space, to the top, say, of a stack of sheet metal, and then along the latter to a relatively great length (e. g. many feet) without buckling, folding under, or other difficulty. When the paper has been fed out a desired amount, the feeding operation is arrested while the shear 40 is operated to cut off a strip of the selected length.

For etfectuating the advance of the paper through the rolls, means are provided for positive drive of all of them, including the gathering and crimping rolls. It will be understood that any of a variety of types of drive may be used, and that the illustrated arrangement is simply disclosed by way of example. In such arrangement, power for driving these rolls is supplied by a suitable source such as an electric motor 55 which is shown only in Figs. 1 and 10, and which may be located at a lower part of the machine. Motor 55 carries a multiple belt pulley 56 on its shaft 57, and by means of belts 58 drives a multiple belt pulley 41, which in turn is carried by a shaft 42 (Figs. 1, 2 and 10). The shaft 42 also carries a gear 43 which is thus rotated by the pulley 41. The gear 43 meshes with a pinion 58a (Fig. 10) which is carried at the end of a shaft 45 which in turn carries the lower gathering roll 33. The positional relationship of this train of gears, being described now, is shown in Fig. 10 and is also in part indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The large pulley 41 is likewise shown, to help identify the gears. As explained, the gear 43 not only turns the pinion 58a but also meshes with an idler pinion 59, which in turn meshes with an idler gear 83. The gear 83 is in mesh with a pinion 59a on the end of the shaft 51 which carries the lower feed roll 26. Since the shaft of the upper feed roll 25 also carries a pinion that meshes with the pinion 59a, it will now be seen that the feed rolls 25, 26 are positively driven through the train described above.

The shafts 85 and 93 of the lower crimping rolls 35 and 37 respectively carry pinions 85a, 93a, which are driven in the same direction as the pinion 58a by intermediate idler gears 46a, 46b, the gear 46a being in mesh with the pinions 58a and 85a and the gear 461; being in mesh with the pinions 85a and 93a. The shafts of the upper gathering roll 32 and the upper crimping rolls 34 and 36 respectively carry pinions 44a, 44b and 44c which mesh with the described pinions 58a, 85a and 93a on the shafts of the corresponding lower rolls. In consequence of this further train of pinions and idler gears, all of the gathering and crimping rolls are positively driven from the gear 43, in appropriate synchronism with each other and with the feed rolls 25, 26.

The machine includes a variable-ratio speed reduction transmission 50, which may be of a conventional character (e. g. using friction or other gearing or other suitable transmission elements) and which for brevity is here identified as a gear reduction box. The box or unit 50 (only partly shown in Fig. 1) is connected to the end of the shaft 51 which carries the lower feed roll 26 as previously pointed out. Reference is made to Fig. 4, wherein the complete gear reduction box is schematically illustrated and where it will be noted that the unit includes a means 52 (e. g. of conventional character for such devices) for changing the ratio of speed reduction. The output of this gear reduction box is represented by the shaft 53 which drives a limit switch device 54 as schematically illustrated, the device 54 embodying, for example, a pair of cam contact devices which are functionally shown in Fig. 9 and there recognized by reference to their common driving shaft 53. These elements, i. e. the transmission unit 50 and the switch unit 54, may each take any known form of such devices, as will accomplish the desired purpose herein explained. The illustrated combination of the devices is to be used in connection with the electrical control circuit which will be described in detail below. It is suflicient now to point out that when the paper is fed out, the length of strip will be dependent on the number of revolutions made by feed roll 26 and its shaft 51. Then by means of the reduction gearing 50, a limit switch of suitable type (in the device 54) may be driven by the output shaft 53 so that after a desired length of strip has been fed out Cit the limit switch will operate and stop the motor 55 which is feeding out the strip. The gear reduction ratio changer is provided in order to be able to vary the length of strip to be fed out, as desired.

Attention is directed to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 for details of the shear which is of a unique construction whereby it may be subjected to long continued use without substantial loss in ability to operate easily and to make a sharp and clean out every time. Such beneficial results are gained by a construction which provides an action similar in effect to that of hand operated shears, a basic principle of such arrangement being that the shear blades are springbias-ed into contact with one another, in such a manner that their tips overlap until the shears are closed. It should also be noted that hand shears do not out along the whole length of their blades at once but make a single point" shear or cut which progresses from the heel of the blades to the tip. This action is also realized in the shear arrangement of the present invention.

The shear consists of a U shaped lower blade (having two wings or vertical extensions 79, 36 best seen in Fig. 3, and a horizontal, straight-line cutting edge 97) and two approximately rectangular upper blades 73 and 74 which are each about one half the length of the lower blade and are arranged end to end above it. The lower blade 60 is fastened to the face of a U shaped support 62 by means of bolts 92 which are tightened against a thickened reinforcing section 91 of the lower shear blade. The support 62 at the sides of its upright arms, is carried in guide members 61 which are bolted to a framework 84 in a vertical position. These guide members 61 have inwardly sloping edges abutting the sides of the U shaped support 62, while the sides of the support have a corresponding outward slope or bevel, i. e. to match the slope of guide members 61, in such a manner as to hold the support 62 and the lower shear blade 60 against the framework 84. Thus the guides 61 provide a trackway in which the support may slide vertically.

The support 62 is also movably supported by a lower foot 62a, as described below. That is to say, the support and blade are raised vertically by means of an air operated piston enclosed in a cylinder 63 and connected to the foot 62a by a shaft or piston rod 64 and a pin and clevis coupling 65 as illustrated. For indicating the number of operations of the shear and thus the number of sheets of paper delivered over a given time, there is a counter 66 which is actuated by its arm 67 and a link 68 attached to the lower shear blade support by means of a pin 69. When the shear blade and support are in their lower position, as shown, the support rests on and is supported by blocks of absorbing resilient material 76 which are carried in cup-like supports 71 as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

The supply of air under pressure for the air operated cylinder 63 is controlled by means of a solenoid operated valve 72 which is schematically illustrated in Fig. 9, its physical location being unimportant to the operation of the device, so long as it is suitably connected to control the supply and exhaust of air for the cylinder. it will also be understood that the valve element is only diagrammatically shown in Fig. 9 and may in fa ct be of suitable conventional construction for controlling the elevation and return of a movable device (such as the shear blade 60) by an air operated cylinder. It will likewise be apparent to those skilled in the art that other types of fluid-operated means, for example, a hydraulic cylinder, may be used to actuate the shear and may be similarly controlled by a solenoid valve. Similarly it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the lower blade might be motor operated, dispensing with a fluid cylinder entirely.

The upper blades of the shear 40, namely 73 and 74 previously mentioned, are attached in a generally flatwise but floating manner to the framework 84 of the shear assembly by means of bolts 75 and spring 76, a plurality of the bolts being arranged to pass through each blade into the framework behind it, and each blade being adapted to move on its supporting bolts, i. e. axially of the latter. The springs 76 act between the upper blades 73, 74 and washers under the heads of the bolts 75, to bias the upper blades inwardly against the lower shear blade 6% and against a stripping bar 86 which will be more fully described hereafter. In order to gain progressive shear action, the cutting edges 81 and 82 of upper shear blades '73 and 74 respectively are sloped relative to the horizontal, in such fashion that shearing action will commence at the heels (i. e. outer ends) of the upper blades and worl; toward their abutting tips. In other Words, as seen in elevation the upper blade edges form a shallow inverted V, such that the cutting action will begin at the edges and work toward the center of a strip of paper.

Attention is also directed to the fact that end portions 77 and 78 of upper blades 73 and '74 respectively, overlap vertical extensions 79 and 89 (Fig. 3) of the U shape-d lower shear blade 6d, the portions 79 and 843 being plate like faces of the upright arms of the lower blade. Since the portions 79, 89 project slightly from the face of the stripping bar 86 toward which the upper blades '73, 74 are urged by the springs 76, the blades actually engage the bar (when the lower blade is down) only at their abutting ends, i. e. at the center of the assembly (as viewed in Fig. 3); each of the upper blades is thus held at a slight angle, when seen in plan (Fig. 1), so that together they form a shallow V which extends inwardly across the lower blade and from which they are adapted to be displaced (against the springs 76) into a straight line relation when the lower blade rises. In the described fashion, with the upper blades spring biased across the center of the cutting edge 97 of the lower blade to, the cross-tipped action of hand shears is achieved; when the lower blade ascends, it progressively forces the upper blades outwardly (to the left in Figs. 1 and 2) while it progressively engages their edges from the outer ends toward the center. It will be understood, of course, that the overlapping end portions 77, 78 of the upper blades 73, 74 are so positioned by the supporting faces 7%, 89 as to insure that the end portions of the rising lower blade will pass behind the outer end portions of the upper blades, to commence the progressive shearing action at both ends of the assembly. That is to say, the end portions of the upper blade edges are positively held (by parts 79, 3b of the lower blade structure) from crossing over the lower blade edge and jamming the shear.

The stripping bar as previously mentioned, acts to remove paper from the upper blades following the operation of the shear. This bar is in structure a flat plate having slots 87 to allow it to move vertically with respect to bolts 75. The bar or plate 85 is spring biased into its lower position as shown by a pl rality of plungers 88, and Springs 3%, each having its head downwardly pressed against the upper edge of the bar by a coil spring 89. That is to say, the springs 89 are thus disposed in compression between the heads of the plungers and corresponding brackets 94 which are bolted to the top of the framework 84 at intervals and which thus serve to carry the plungers. When the shear 49 is operated the lower shear blade 60 is raised and comes in contact with the stripping bar 6, carrying it up to the top of the stroke, i. c. moving the bar upward until the lower blade has passed the central, highest region of the upper blade edge assembly (Fig. 3). Thus the inner or remaining edge of the paper strip (after the cut) is stripped from the upper blades and is free to fall (or to be carried by the stripper bar) to a position below them when the lower blade returns to its lower or open position.

There is also a guide member $9 (best shown in Fig. 2), in the shape of thin plate or sheet metal structure having a face 90a which extends completely across the path of the paper and which cooperates (e. g. with the stripper bar) to insure that the paper feeds smoothly through the opening made by the shear blades.

It has been made clear that power to drive all eight of the feed and processing rolls (25, 26, and 3237) is directly coupled to each of them by means of gearing on their respective shafts. It should also be pointed out that the ends of the shafts of the upper roll of each pair (25, 32, 34 and 36) are mounted in bearing boxes 98 (only one of the two boxes for each roll being seen in Fig. 2), each of which is spring biased downwardly to maintain desired pressure between the upper and lower rolls of each pair, by a spring 99 as shown. The ends of the shafts of the lower rolls (26, 33, 35 and 37) may likewise be carried in bearing boxes (not shown) similar to the upper boxes 98, in order to facilitate maintenance.

In order to review the operation of the device, reference is made to Fig. 4 where it is generally shown that paper is fed out from the roll 16 by means of the power driven feed rolls 25 and 26, and proceeds to be fed through the gathering rolls 32 and 33 where the paper is gathered in, reducing its width sufficiently to gain enough paper to form the longitudinal ribs or crimps 95. Formation of these crimps is accomplished by the crimping rolls 3- 147.

As explained above, these creased ribs or crimps have been found remarkably effective in imparting sufiicient stiffness to permit feeding the paper out in long strips without buckling or other derangement. The advantages thus gained will be particularly apparent when it is recalled that one important specific use for the machine is that of feeding strips of paper or other light-weight sheets of material between layers of polished steel or other such material which is to be protected in stacking. Another specific feature of the invention is the use of a plurality of sets of processing rolls (for example three, as shown) which cooperate in succession to provide the relatively permanent deformation of the paper along laterally spaced longitudinal paths, without undue strain, tearing or irregular or incomplete creasing. While in some cases other configurations can be used, the ultimate V- shaped section of the ribs or channels, each creased at its apex and lower edges, is unusually satisfactory for the present purposes, and thus constitutes a further feature of special preference. Simply by way of example, successful feed of paper upwards of 20 to 30 inches wide, out to lengths of many feet, has been achieved with ribs or crimps mutually spaced (center to center) by 2% inches, the V-shaped ribs 48 in the final roll 36 having a base width of one-fourth inch and having their sides inclined at 45. It will be understood, of course, that considerable variation is possible in the dimensions and other values just recited, to suit various conditions and requirements that may be encountered in the practice of the invention. 7

While the configurations of ridges and grooves on the various rolls may vary with requirements, it should be noted that specially advantageous results are obtained in the machine as shown. Here the ridges 29 of the gathering roll 32 are narrow flange-like ribs, while the cooperating annular, rectangular grooves 38 in the roll 33 are at least several times as wide. Likewise, there is appreciable clearance between the base of each triangular ridge 39 on the first crimping roll 3 and the mouth of the cooperating rectangular groove 47 on the lower roll 35. Finally the operative surface of the upper, final crimping roll 36 is preferably provided by a series of separate sleeves (see Figs. 1 and 7) which are adapted to slide on the supporting shaft as shown, so that accurate spacing and self alignment (with the grooves in the unitary lower roll 37) can be achieved. Indeed the clearance of the rolls 33 and 35 and the described construction of the roll 36 are of special manufacturing convenience, in permitting unavoidable variation of centers in machining the several ridges and grooves.

The contours of the grooves and recesses in the applicants first set of rolls is best seen in Fig. 5. It may there be seen that the sheet material is not tightly gripped between the ridge 29 on the upper roller and the recess 38 on the lower roller. n the contrary, the recess is several times wider than the ridge, and is slightly deeper than the sum of the height of the ridge and the thickness of the sheet material. Consequently, the portion of the sheet material within the groove 38 is not rigidly gripped between the rollers, and the material approaching the rolls is thereby allowed to move laterally and gather to form slack regions in which the grooves will be formed by the subsequent rolls.

This improvement, i. e., the freeing of the groove forming material from restraint by the gathering rolls is also used in a modified way in the second set of rolls, shown in Fig. 6. The groove 47 in that figure is considerably narrower than the groove 38 in the first set of rolls, but it is nevertheless wider than the ridge 39, and is also somewhat deeper than the combined height of the ridge and the thickness of the material.

It is only in the applicants final set of crimping rolls that the material gathered for forming the grooves is tightly gripped between the ridged roll 36 and the re cessed roll 37, as best seen in Fig. 7. Furthermore, in those rolls, the material between the grooves is freed from restraint by virtue of the clearance between the rolls.

it is contemplated that the machine may be used with an electric motor drive to feed out a predetermined length of paper automatically and thereafter cut it off without further attention from an operator. This operation may also be caused to repeat continuously without attention, so long as it is desired. One embodiment of an electrical circuit by which such results may be had is illustrated in 9, where the automatic feeding out and cutting off of a predetermined length of paper will be first de scribed. it will be understood that the several elements of the circuit may individually be of known and conventional construction, including the relays and the time delay switches having the specific functioning characteristics mentioned below; hence, these devices are shown only in diagrammatic form.

A source of electric power may be introduced by means of Wires 100 and 101, which may thus extend to any appropriate and available source (not shown). Operation of the feed out machine is initiated by either a foot switch 102 or a hand operated switch 103 which may be located on the machine itself. It will be observed that each of these switches is spring biased to the position shown and has a double set of contacts such that one circuit is opened and the other is closed when (and only so long as) the switch is operated against the spring. Operation of either of these switches completes a circuit for a relay 104 (conveniently called the non-repeat relay) to line wires 100, 101, such circuit extending through wire 105, upper contacts 102a of switch 102 (or alternatively, the upper contacts 103a of the switch 103), wire 106, wire 107, then through the solenoid 108 of the relay 104 and to the other power line 101 via wire 109. When the relay 104 is energized, it closes a holding circuit by means of its contacts 110 and 111 through limit switch 112 shown. The relay 104 also closes its contacts 113 and 114 when it is energized, whereby a circuit to energize the motor starter relay 115, will be closed. This circuit may be traced from line wire 100 to wire 129, contacts 136 (of the time delay operated switch 134), wire 130, lower contacts of foot switch 102, wire 131, lower contacts of hand switch 103, wire 132, contacts 113, 114 of relay 104, and wire 133, to the winding of motor starter relay 115, the other side of which winding is connected directly to line wire 101. This circuit is not closed, however, until release of the specific switch used, i. e. foot switch 102, or manual switch 103. Upon such release, the circuit just traced will be closed, which will energize the motor starter relay 115.

It is to be understood that both relays 104 and 115 are shown in their de-energized condition. When energized, they each will pick up their armatures and close their two sets of contacts; as indicated, the relays are energized in succession, respectively upon depression and release of the foot (or hand) switch 102 (or 103). One set of contacts 116 of relay controls energization of the driving motor 55 (Figs. 1 and 10) of the machine, it being understood that in a suitable circuit, extending if necessary through conventional motor starting instrumentalities (not shown), closure of the contacts 116 starts the motor 55, and that the motor and the several feeding and processingrolls driven by it thereafter continue to run until the contacts 116 are opened by deenergization of the relay 115. An extra set of contacts 117 will also be closed when the relay 115 is energized, these contacts being embodied in a holding circuit for the motor starter relay 115. This holding circuit is completed by means of a limit switch 118, shown closed. It may be explained that upon termination of a previous cycle of motor operation (as likewise upon each subsequent cycle) the high spot of the operating cam 118a, being only 2, will have momentarily opened limit switch 118, then moved past due to inertia of the machine, closing limit switch 113 again. When limit switch 118 thus momentarily opens after a predetermined number of revolutions of the motor 55, it deenergizes relay 115 stopping the motor. This determines the length of paper to be fed out before shearing action takes place. Also, the auxiliary contacts 117 on relay 115 will open, breaking the holding circuit through limit switch 118 to relay 115. This prevents motor relay 115 from being energized again when limit switch 113 recloses after being momentarily opened, since relay 104 has been deenergized by the action of cam 112a as will presently appear.

The motor having a shunt brake will stop at approximately the same number of revolutions after relay 115 is de-energized by the high spot of the cam limit switch 118, but the cam limit switch 118 having a variable relation with motor R. P. M. (because of the variable speed reduction box 50) the high spot will vary in the distance past limit switch 118. This variable means nothing to the operator in relation to length of cut because the gear reduction ratio changer 52 is merely adjusted by the operator until he obtains the length of paper required.

The holding circuit for motor starter relay 115 may therefore be traced as follows: from line wire 100, to wire 13%, limit switch 118, Wire 139, contacts 117, wire 140, wire 141, to winding of relay 115 which is already connected to the other line wire 101. Since the motor starter relay is now held closed, the motor continues to run, i. e. even though the first circuit to the motor starter relay is opened as now to be explained. Thus, after paper has been fed out a certain distance, the limit switch 112 is actuated (by the high spot, which is about 80, of its cam 112a, carried on the shaft 53, Fig. 4) to break the holding circuit for relay 104, thereby setting up circuit conditions for a manually repeated operation after completion of one cycle. The limit switch 112 is thus opened some little time before the limit switch 113 opens (to stop the motor), but both switches re-close together.

It will be noted that a time delay switching means 119' is energized simultaneously with motor starter relay 115, since these two elements are connected in parallel. Time delay switch means 119 is a type of time delay switch that picks up its contacts immediately upon energization and holds its contacts in this position during energization and for a predetermined time after deenergization of the switch device. Switch contacts 120 and 121 are operated by this time delay switch device 119 as indicated by the dashed line 11%; thus upon energization of the time delay device 119, simultaneously with the relay 1.15, the contacts 120 shift to open position (from their closed position shown) and the contacts 121 shift to closed position (from their open position shown), both sets of con tacts remaining in the shifted positions so long as the motor is running and for the predetermined delay thereafter.

' 11 That is to say, when the limit switch 118 is operated (by the high spot of its cam 118a, also on the shaft 53, Fig. 4) after a predetermined number of revolutions of the motor, the holding circuit for relay 115 is broken and this relay is released, stopping the motor. Also the time delay switch means 119 is de-energized. Hence after a predetermined delay time, switches 12!) and 121 drop out to the position illustrated in Fig. 9, and a circuit is complete to the shear solenoid 122. This circuit is readily traceable from line wire 1%, over wire 122 switch con-- tacts 129, wire 124, switch contacts 125 (110i closed), wire 126, solenoid 122, wire 127 to the other line wire 11E.

When shear solenoid 122 is energized it actuates solenoid operated valve 72, which in turn causes the shear blade at to be raised and shear 011 the strip of crimped paper 23 at the predetermined length. After time for this action to take place, time delay switch 128 is actuated, opening its contacts 125 which then deenergizes solenoid 122 and so returns the shear blade to its lower or open position.

In other words, upon the energization of the motor starting relay 115 and the corresponding operation of the motor, the contacts 121} become open and the device 128 deenergized, closing its contacts 125, this condition persisting as long as the motor runs and until the end of the delay period of the device 11h (which gives time for the motor to stop). In consequence, the shear solenoid circuit will be completed upon the then closing of switch contacts 121) (i. e. at the end of the delay period of the device 119), since the contacts 125 were already closed by reason of the previously tie-energized condition of the delay device 128 and will remain closed after energization of the device 128 (by closure of contacts 12%), i. e. until termination of the delay period of the device 128. It is explained at this point that the time delay switch device 128 is connected to wire 124 (between switches 120 and 125) and to the line wire 101. Therefore, it will now be clearly appreciated that during the time when the motor was energized and the time delay switch means 119 consequently was also energized, the switch 121) was opened, and hence the time delay switch means 128 was de-energized and its switch contacts 125 stayed closed. The shear was not operated, however, since the contacts 129 (also in the shear control circuit) were open. Following this condition, when the motor was de-energized, as was also the time delay switching device 119, the switch 120 was eventually closed after time for the machine to stop, and at the latter time a complete circuit was made for the shear solenoid 122. Following the energiz-ation of shear solenoid 122, which causes the shear to be actuated (by supplying air under pressure to the lower end of the cylinder 63 and elevating the piston rod 64, Fig. 3), the time delay switch device 128 after a predetermined delay opens its contacts 125 and allows the shear to return to an open or inoperative position. This completes a single cycle of automatic feeding out and cutting off operation.

if it is desired to have the machine operate continuously, repeating the above cycle, without necessity for attention by the operator, a further circuit, now to be described, will be put into operation. Further time delay switch means 134, which has immediate pick up and time delay drop out (to the position shown) may be put into operation by means of a toggle switch 135, designated the repeat switch.

It is pointed out that all manual switches, limit switches, time delay switch contacts and relay contacts are shown (in Fig. 9) in a state of rest with no power on line wires 1% and 181.

Continuing with a description of repeated operation without manual starting each time: after switch 135 is closed (thereafter remaining closed until it is manually opened) a cycle of operation, such as previously described, is begun. That is to say, either the foot switch 102 or the hand switch 103 is operated, by pushing it down and letting up on it, to get the machine started; the initial energizations of relays 104 and are thus successively effected, providing the first starting of the motor and in due season, energization of the time delay switch device 119, all as explained above. The switch 121 will be closed by energization of the time delay switch device 119 since the switches 12%) and 121 are actuated together as is indicated by the dashed line 119a connecting them with the device 119. Closing this switch 121 completes a circuit, as illustrated, to energize the time delay switch device 134. This circuit may be traced as follows: from line wire 1%, to wire 142, switch 121 (now closed), wire 143, toggle switch 135 (now closed), wire 144, to the time delay switch device 134 which is directly connected to line wire 101.

Promptly upon energization of the switch 134, its switch contacts 136 and 137 will be actuated, e. g. to open switch 136 and close switch 137. Closing of switch 137 will re-close the original or main energizing circuit for the relay 104 and therefore contacts 113 and 114 of the relay 104 will be closed irrespective of actuation of the limit switch 112. Specifically, the relay 104 remains continuously energized during a time of automatically repeated operation: the holding circuit through contacts 11t3-111 is temporarily interrupted by the limit switch 112 only at times when the main energizing circuit for the relay 104 is closed by the switch 137, so that upon the re-closing of the switch 112 (which, like the reclosing of switch 118, occurs just after the motor stops and before the end of the delay period of relay 119) the holding circuit is always reestablished (to continue the energization) before the switch 137 is opened. At the time of its operation following energization of the relay device 134, the switch 136 will be opened as above indicated, however, and therefore the motor starter relay 115 and time delay switch means 119 will continue energized only by means of the holding circuit through the limit switch 118. Thus, when the limit switch 118 is finally opened (to stop the motor and initiate operation of the solenoid 122 of the shear solenoid valve 72) as previously described in a single cycle of operation, the time delay switch means 119 will be de-energized and as a result, the switch 121 will ultimately be opened. Opening switch 121 will de-energize the time delay switch device 134, so that after a predetermined delay time, the switch 136 will close and a new cycle will be commenced.

It is to be noted that the time delay following de-energization of this device 134, i. e. as determined by it, must be such as to allow sufiicient time for operation of the shearing to be completed so that when a following cycle is commenced, the shear will be in its inoperative or open position. That is to say, since the closing of the switch initiates the shear operation which is terminated only at the end of the delay period of the device 128 and since the switch 121 opens to de-energize the device 134 at the same time that the switch 120 closes, the delay period afforded by the device 134 (for closing the switch 136 to re-energize the motor relay 115 and to start a new paper feeding cycle) should be somewhat longer than the delay period of the device 128. Under such circumstances, the shear will have ample time to return to open condition before the new cycle is antomatically started.

To stop the machine during a period when it is running in the described automatically repeating manner, the toggle switch 134 is merely shifted to open position. Thereupon, after not more than one further cycle of operation, the machine will come to rest, the final cycle having been duly completed and the parts being restored to the position they occupy at the end of any cycle of nonrepeating operation.

As indicated above, sheet material feeding apparatus such as shown herein is capable of many uses, especially for inserting long pieces or strips of paper or the like between sheets or plates being stacked by manual or au- 13 I tomatic operation. It will likewise now be appreciated that the machine of the present invention is readily adapted for timing with automatic piling apparatus, as well as for effective cooperation with other equipment in a production line. Although if desired there can also be manual or automatic arrangements for progressive elevation of the machine or for progressive depression of the pile under supply (as by means conventional for other but similar purposes) to keep a fixed distance between the paper pass line and the top of the pile, satisfactory delivery of paper has been obtained upon surfaces considerably below as well as close to the pass line with the machine which is shown herein and which fully embraces the features of our invention. Finally, it should again be noted that in all cases, the present method and apparatus are eminently suited for attainment of their primary advantage, namely an effective endwise delivery or feeding of very long sheets or strips of flexible material such as relatively thin paper, e. g. pliable material which is creasable, i. e. capable of at least a temporarily continuing deformation from a plane sheet by pressure, and which is materially stiffened by such creasing or deformation, such material (of which example other than paper are some metal foils and paper-thin, pliant plastic sheets) preferably having the same inherent pliability as paper, especially in that in its plane, uncreased state the material cannot be projected or propelled in a plane (i. e. pushed horizontally fiatwise) out across an unsupported region of more than, say, a few inches without bending steeply downward around a transverse axis.

A specific embodiment of the invention has thus been shown and described by way of example but it is not to be taken as limiting in any way the scope of our invention, as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. The method of forming, in a moving sheet of material, a multiplicity of laterally spaced grooves parallel to the direction of movement of the material, comprising, at one laterally extending region along the path of the moving sheet, simultaneously and continuously gathering substantial amounts of the sheet material at the intended laterally spaced localites of all the grooves, by deflecting said groove localities from the general plane of the sheet material while holding in said plane other localities of the material spaced from, parallel to, and between said groove localities, and simultaneously freeing from restraint, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the material, those localities of the material intermediate said groove localities and said other localities.

2. The method defined in claim 1 for forming grooves in sheet material, in which said groove localities are deflected from the general plane of the sheet material by applying deflecting forces to the sheet material on only one surface thereof, while leaving the opposite surfaces at said localities unconfined.

3. The method defined in claim 1 for forming a multiplicity of parallel grooves in a moving sheet of material, comprising subsequently, at a second laterally extending region along the path of the moving sheet, simultaneously and continuously forming the gathered material at all said groove localities to provide the multiplicity of parallel grooves therein, by closely confining both surfaces of the material at all said groove localities, while leaving the material between said localities unconfined on at least one surface.

4. The method of forming, in a moving sheet of material, a multiplicity of laterally spaced grooves parallel to the direction of movement of the material, comprising: at one laterally extending region along the path of the moving sheet, simultaneously and continuously gathering substantial amounts of the sheet material at the intended laterally spaced localities of all the grooves, by deflecting said groove localities from the general plane of the sheet material, while holding in said plane other localities of the material spaced from, parallel to and between said groove localities, and simultaneously freeing from re straint, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the material, those localities of the material intermediate said groove localities and said other localities; at a second laterally extending region farther along the path of the moving sheet from said one region, further gathering the gathered material by widening said other localities and correspondingly narrowing said intermediate localities; and at a third laterally extending region farther along the path of the moving sheet from said second region, simultaneously. and continuously confining both surfaces of the gathered material at all said groove localities to form said multiplicity of parallel grooves therein.

5. Apparatus for forming, in a moving sheet of material, a multiplicity of laterally spaced grooves parallel to the direction of movement of the material, comprising a pair of opposed gathering rolls extending laterally of the I path of movement of the material for engaging opposite sides of the material, one of said rolls having a plurality of ridges spaced by cylindrical surfaces of smaller diameter than the ridges, and the other of said rolls having a plurality of recesses aligned with, substantially wider than and cooperatively receiving said ridges and spaced by cylindrical surfaces of greater diameter than the recesses, said ridges and recesses cooperating when the ridges engage the material to deflect the intended localities of all the grooves from the general plane of the sheet material, while said cylindrical surfaces cooperate to hold in said plane other localities of the material spaced from, parallel to, and between said groove localities, the spacing between the sides of the ridges and recesses being effective to free from restraint, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the material, those localities of the material intermediate said groove localities and said other localities.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, comprising a pair of opposed crimping rolls engaging said material after it passes said gathering rolls, the one of said crimping rolls on the same side of the material as said one gathering roll having a plurality of ridges sharper than the ridges on said gathering roll and aligned therewith, the other of said crimping rolls having a plurality of recesses substantially wider than the ridges on said one crimping roll but substantially narrower than the recesses on said other gathering roll, said crimping rolls cooperating to narrow and sharpen the depression formed by said gathering rolls.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, comprising a second pair of opposed crimping rolls engaging said material after it passes said first pair of crimping rolls, the one of said second pair of crimping rolls on the same side of the material as said one gathering roll having a plurality of ridges having substantially the same contour as those on said one of said first-mentioned pair of crimping rolls and aligned therewith, the other of said second pair of crimping rolls having a plurality of recesses aligned with, closely conforming to and cooperatively receiving said ridges on said one of said second pair of crimping rolls, said second pair of crimping rolls cooperating to narrow further and to sharpen the edges of the depressions formed in the sheet material by the first-mentioned crimping rolls to change said depressions into sharp-edged grooves, the ridges on said one of said second pair of crimping rolls being higher than the depth of their coopcrating recesses, so that the localities of the sheet material between said ridges and recesses are closely confined, and the intervening localities are relatively unconfined.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, in which each said groove is at least several times as wide as its cooperating ridge.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, in which each said groove is wide enough only to provide appreciable clearance between the sides of the ridge and the sides of the groove.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Demain Apr. 10, 1883 Mohs May 18, 1897 5 Clare Feb. 20, 1906 Rafiel Ian. 27, 1914 Ray Nov. 11, 1924 Steindorif et a1. Sept. 16, 1930 Pels Mar. 24, 1931 10 Buttress May 24, 1932 Smith May 2, 1933 1 5 Nasmith Jan. 2, 1934 Hammisch NOV. 26, 1935 Jones Sept. 16, 1941 Hayssen Nov. 3, 1942 Miller et a1 Mar. 30, 1943 Sahlin June 1, 1943 Grein Feb. 1, 1944 King et a1. Dec. 19, 1944 Engberg Aug. 14, 1945 Roblee Apr. 20, 1948 Fey May 5, 1953 

